Aftershocks
by doctors gal1792
Summary: Another Miracle Day One shot, set between Rex and Esther's conversation in the car, and the end of the episode.-Rex and Esther return from the compound, numb broken, and hollow. Jack is left to pick up the pieces and put them back together.


**Title: Aftershocks **

**Author: doctors gal1792 **

**Beta: The ever amazing jandl. I honestly don't know where the Hell I'd be without her. 3**

**Rating: T, for Swearing **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Torchwood is the property of RTD, the BBC, Starz, and all other affiliates. I am but a poor Teenager who has, hopefully, found her muse again. **

**Summary: Set between Rex and Esther's discussion in the car, and the end of the episode "The Middle Men." Rex and Esther return to the base, after the events at the Compound. They are broken and numb, and Jack is left to pick up the pieces and put them back together. **

**Authors Note: I was thinking about this the other night, and then read something sort of along the lines. I wasn't too fond of that and wanted some more interaction with Rex in the story. So this is Jack's interactions with Rex and Esther when they returned from the compound. Please read, review, and let me know! Also, make sure you check out my fic "Sacrifices."**

**On a totally un-related note, I just downloaded the episode "Captain Jack Harkness," to have for my vidding collection, and it was in Spanish. Jack dubbed in Spanish is hilarious. **

Xxx

Jack couldn't help himself when he continued to watch the footage Gwen had sent him, over and over again. There was a complete sense of triumph when he heard Gwen's words, and saw those buildings go up in flames. He heard a key in the lock and turned quickly, spinning in his chair to see Rex and Esther walking through, initially missing the tired and defeated looks on their respective faces. "You have to see this, what Gwen sent me she blew-" and then he stopped, because something, well something was just seriously not right about this situation. Rex's shirt was covered in blood-lots of it. Standing quietly next to Rex, blood caking her lip, was Esther. She looked almost as though she was suffering from apoplectic shock - she was shaking, her eyes were red, and she looked pale.

"What...what happened?" Jack breathed.

Esther couldn't talk - she moved her mouth open and shut multiple times before giving up - and she walked out of the room, without saying anything to either of the men. A moment later they heard the lock click on the bathroom door.

"Vera is dead." The words pained Rex when he said them, and Jack could see agony in the face of the old CIA agent, and he knew it didn't have anything to do with the hole in his chest.

"How-" Jack began, but then stopped. He couldn't bring himself to form the words.

"She - she was with the board of directors and, something," Rex heaved a sigh and leaned against the door frame, breathing heavily, "Something happened. I was filming, making sure we'd have footage to get out there. Tell the world about these - these fucking concentration camps." Rex wanted to heave just as the words left his mouth. "And I heard the chambers come to life. Vera had somehow gotten locked inside. She had at least two injuries, but she was conscious." Rex bit his nail as he said it. "God damn it, she was conscious!"

Jack got to his feet as Rex's fist met the wall, some cheap picture frames rattling against their lodgings with the strength of Rex's hit.

"Rex, you don't have to - don't have to keep going," Jack quietly told him.

Rex either didn't hear Jack or didn't care for he continued on, his voice getting louder as he progressed. "I had to watch her be burned alive. And there was - there was nothing I could do about it, but videotape it. I have footage of her-" He sighed heavily and buried his face in his hands before pulling out the camera and giving it to Jack, "All the proof we need is on that camera. The camps, the bodies, the ovens, all here."

Jack stared at the camera, not sure if he wanted anything to do with it now. The fact that Vera's death was on this tape...it was haunting. Carefully he took the camera from Rex and stared down at it, and then set it down on the table with the rest of the their devices. He turned back to look at Rex, whose eyes were closed, his hands over his wound.

"Did someone hurt you?" Jack asked quietly.

Rex nodded, "Yeah, the head of the board of directors. I was trying to sneak out and I got caught. They tied me up and called him. I didn't know that he was..." he faltered for a moment, horrible memories plaguing him, "I didn't know that he was the one that killed Vera. I started running off at the mouth, hoping he could save me; hoping we could end this together. I told him about the footage, and everything I knew. He pulled a pen out and started sticking it into my wound."

Jack stepped closer to get a look at it, but Rex recoiled. "Honestly, Rex. I am not trying to hit on you. I am trying to see your injuries so I can tend to them," Jack snapped.

Rex glared at Jack briefly, and then moved his hand away. Jack rolled his eyes and looked at the wound, "Come on. Sit down on the sofa," he ordered. Jack went to the small kitchen and got a bowl of warm water, a rag, and some fresh bandages.

He returned to the living room and Rex was on the sofa, his head resting across the back. Jack sat down beside Rex and carefully began to clean up the dried blood with the water. Upon initial prodding of the wound, Rex's head snapped up from the cushions and he let out a row of expletives that would have made a more prudish man than Jack blush. As it was, Jack merely smiled and choked back a chuckle at Rex's unintentional impersonation of a sailor. He then put the fresh bandage on Rex and taped it down. "There you go," Jack said, before getting to his feet and going to the kitchen to wash out the rag.

"I'm going to lay down," Rex announced, "but when Esther comes out of the shower, can you talk to her? I don't..." Rex sighed, apparently at a loss for how to phrase his thoughts.

Jack looked at Rex, "What happened to her?"

"She came to find me," Rex started slowly, thinking about it, "and she called out for the director. He came out, and they started to talk. I shouted that she needed to run, and she tried. But...the director attacked her. She tried to choke him to death, and thought he was dead." He shook his head slowly, guilt seeping into his bones. "And then when she tried to get the key, he attacked her. He's dead now, or as close to death as you can be. But it shook her up. She's just fragile and freaking out." Rex looked at Jack, "We really weren't prepared. All of this was just a mess. Esther got put on the spot and used her real name. So there's that bothering her."

Jack crossed his arms and thought hard. This really was a mess. "Go get some rest, Rex. I'll take care of Esther."

Rex nodded and walked to his bedroom, but stopped in the door way. "Thank you, Jack."

Jack's eyebrows raised slightly, as the last thing he had expected was a show of thanks. "You're welcome, Rex."

Rex nodded and a moment later his bedroom door was closed.

Jack stood there for a moment before sitting down, thinking how happy he'd be when Gwen was back. She was always better at the emotional speeches than he was, and with the way things were quickly going downhill for his team, he could definitely use a little inspiration and encouragement. And, well, Rex certainly wasn't the person he could go to for such things.

When Esther finally emerged from the bathroom some time later, Jack was engrossed in computer work. He was making a copy of the footage from the compound, and then sending it to every major News Network in America and the UK. He had already called in a few favors and was guaranteed an opening spot on World News Tonight, which he knew if they at least reported it, then everyone else would follow.

"What are you doing?" Esther asked quietly as she sat down on the sofa.

Jack looked at the woman, seeing how tired she looked. Her eyes were red and it was evident that she had been crying in the shower. He thought for a moment and then answered, "I'm sending Rex's footage to the News."

Esther looked at the screens on the wall and sighed. "Did you watch it?" she asked quietly.

Jack inhaled and nodded, "Yeah, I didn't exactly... I didn't want to. But I needed to."

"We all seem to have to do things that we don't want to," Esther said as she looked at Jack, her stare piercing him with innocent eyes that seemed to be clinging to what vestiges of former truth she had always believed in - human rights and morals - the things Jack knew people created for themselves as a means of keeping from turning into men such as himself. "Is this what Torchwood does to you?"

Jack's brows knitted together. "What do you mean?"

"Does Torchwood - does it take you and turn you into a killer?" Esther asked, quietly.

He frowned and looked down at his hands and then back to Esther. "First thing's first: you didn't kill him. Never mind the fact that if he was attacking you, you had to react in any way possible to save yourself. It was self defense. Now, let's not even go down the "no one can die" road. Because you know full well that no one, except for yours truly, can die."

She gave a slight jerk of her head. "Yeah I...I guess so."

"Esther," Jack said sternly, "You've got to discern what battles are worth the fight. You've got to realize what is important these days, and what isn't. You are here because you want to help make the world a better place. We are going to make the world a better place by finding out what Phi Corp is doing, stopping it, and getting rid of the Miracle. It's a simple fact, and you have got to realize that. If you hadn't retaliated, you'd be the one lying on the ground somewhere, as good as dead. But we need you Esther, and you did good. Okay?"

Esther looked at him and nodded. "Yeah." She sounded as though she may even be starting to believe that, but only just.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, and then Jack looked at Esther. "Torchwood - it does two things."

Esther raised her eyebrow. "And what is that?"

"Well, the reason why I refuse to say Torchwood turns you into a killer is because it does something else all together." He paused, letting the tension mount before giving her the information he knew she was most curious to hear - the reason why joining Torchwood made her a better person instead of less of one. "Torchwood makes you feel *so* alive. This job took four ordinary people from the dead ends in their jobs. They were all at a cross roads, alone and hurt. Ready to just be settled with their every day, mundane lives." Jack inhaled, the memories coming to him in picture perfect clarity as he pictured each of his team in detail. "I took a doctor, a technician, an office boy, and a Police Constable, and helped them feel so alive." He looked at Esther directly. "I gave their lives a purpose."

She stared at him for a moment, her mind racing as she thought of the files she had read. All of the old Torchwood Three regime had died, except for Gwen. But she could see how Gwen seized the day and thrived for doing what was right for Earth, for her family and friends. Esther nodded after a moment and asked, "What's the other thing Torchwood does?"

Jack thought for a moment and answered, "Torchwood prepares you for what's out there. The twenty-first century is when everything changes." He smiled at his old phrase that he used to tell all Torchwood employees, a twinkle in his eyes. "And you've gotta be ready."


End file.
